Promotion a high point for Burnley boss Dyche

SEAN Dyche was lifted onto the shoulders of Burnley’s promotion giants and given the celebration bumps.

The players are the ones who cross the white line, but it is the 42-year-old who has carried them over the Premier League threshold and this was their public display of appreciation amid the cheers and happy tears of the thousands who had packed Turf Moor to witness this historic moment.

Showing the same faith he has had in them all season, he backed them to secure a safe landing each time he was thrown into the air. And just as they have done all season his players repaid that belief.

Dyche was typically more reserved in his post-match interviews, but did go so far as to admit he was jumping for joy inside.

“It’s internal celebration for me,” he said. “Internally I can assure you I’m more delighted than you’d ever know.”

He is proud too, of what his players have achieved, what his staff have helped him to carry out, and what his family have been able to witness and share with him.

“It’s a great occasion for me with my wife and my children here and that’s a fantastic part of it,” he continued.

“They know the job that I do and the time element and being on the phone a lot, so for them to be here as well is marvellous for me and they were on the pitch at the end and enjoyed that moment.

“Beyond that it’s a group of people being relentless and they’ve done it again.”

Dyche, who has earned promotion in his first full season in charge of the Clarets, added: “As a young manager learning, to get a group of people to achieve this or guide them to achieve this is tremendous.

“It’s of great value to me and of great value to all concerned, the town, the people, the club and the players and the staff. I’ve mentioned it many times, without them it can’t be done. They’re the key focus for me, my players.

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“I told them when I got here, ‘everything we do is for a reason and it’s all for you’ and I mean it sincerely. You motivate the people – and I believe in people, not just players – I believe in them as people, not just their technical ability and understanding of the game, and they’ve been fantastic.

“I’m extremely proud.”

Attentions will inevitably turn to planning for next season, but Dyche is intent on savouring their success.

“There’s time to think about that and it’s not now,” said the Burnley boss, when asked about turning his attention to the Premier League.